Clean-out plug for drainpipes



- y 8, 1952 E. E. LALLI.Y ETAL 2,602,168

CLEAN-OUT PLUG FOR DRAIN PIPES Filed Dec. 12, 1949 l8 20 l9 I4 27 INVENTORS EMMETT E. LALLY THEODORE G. LALLY ATTORNEYS Another object is to provide Patented July 8, 1952 CLEAN-OUT PLUG FOR DRAINPIPES I Emmett E. Lally and Theodore G. Lally,

. Denver, Colo.

Application December 1 I This invention relates to improvements in clean out devices for plumbing drains or the like. Itis common practice toprovide clean out plugs in certain pipes which drain waste to the sewer, these plugs being removable to permit insertion of acleaning snake, or othercleaning device, for removing obstructions in the drain pipes. The conventional clean out plug must be completely removed from the drain pipe before anysubstantial draining of an accumulation of water and waste, which may have built up above the plug, may occur. If the latter condition prevails, and the clean out plug be removed, the water and waste above the plug will flow through the plug receiving opening, and, if not caught by a suitable receptacle, produces not only an untidy condition, butmay cause damage to the building by reasonof loosening of wall plaster, etc., which the water may contact.

One of the objects of this inventionis to provide a clean out device with a valve therein which may control bleeding of any liquid thereabove prior to complete removal of the clean out plug from the pipe. g

the device. with admin spout which eliminates any running of liquid downwardly along the drain pipe.

Another object is to provide the device with agitator means for breaking up an accumulation of semi-solid waste, which may build up in the clean out device or in the pipe adjacent thereto, to which the device is attached. 7 Another object is to provide a clean out device with a plug which may be operated to determine the presence of water thereabove, Without completely removing the plug from the device.

Another object is to construct the plug of the clean out device with suitable lug means which may be struck with a hammer to tighten or loosen the plug.

Another object is to provide the plug and valve seat associated therewith with ground seats, thus eliminating gaskets or other unsafe seals.

Another object is to construct the device in such manner that installation requirements are no greater than those for conventional clean out plugs.

A further object is to construct the device so that it may be installed in any type of pipe.

Still further objects, advantages, and salient features will become more apparent from the description to follow, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a 2, 1949, Serial nd'iaas z 2 Claims. (01. 4-255) 2 piping system connected to a sewer, or the like;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged end elevation taken in the direction of arrow 3, Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken on line tire-3; and

Figure 5 is an end elevation taken in the direction of arrow 5, Figure 4.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and particularly Figure 1, a drain-pipe 10 has its upper end connected to a sink, or other means for'receiving drain water and'waste, its lower end being adapted to connect with asewer, and having interposed therein, if desired, a grease trap 12. The clean out device I3 maybe interposed between the ends of the drain-pipe at any" de-'- sired point therein. I i I The clean out device comprises a tubular valve body l4 having means at one end thereof, illustrated asm-ale threads [5, for securingitto a T pipe fitting l6. The valve body is provided with female threads H at its other end which receive the-male threads on a plug l8. The valve body and plug are provided with tapered cooperating valveseats- I9, 20, respectively, which prevent-liquid from flowing through the valve body when they are engaged, as shown in Figure 4.

The valve body is provided with a tubular drain spout 2| which forms a bleed port and permits liquid to drain through it when the valve seats are separated, as will be apparent from Figure 4, the spout being preferably disposed downwardly. Y j H The plug is provided with lugs 22, which" may be struck at their radially disposed sides 23, with a hammer or other impact tool, for tightening or loosening the plug from the valve body.

The plug is also provided with a pair of tongues 24 which are bent over the bight of a U-shaped agitator member 26, the tongues fitting the bight loosely so that the agitator member may move freely within the bore of the valve body l4 and strike the inner Walls thereof during rotation of the plug and agitator relative to the valve body. A plurality of elongated angularly spaced ribs 21 are also provided on the wall of the bore which tend to prevent rotation of the accumulation of foreign matter collected in the tubular member and thus aid the agitator member in loosening any foreign matter in the clean out device or the pipe to which it is attached. The legs of the U-shaped agitator -may be of a length to extend any desired discleaned in the usual manner with a snake or the like, as well known in the art, theiopenvalve- Since the lower edge 28 of the spout is belowranyparttr body providing access to the drain pipe.

of the valve body, it will be apparent that any' dripping from the spout willoccurat .thispoint,

thus preventing any of the water from running down the outer surface of the drain pipe;

The lugs 22 expedite tightening and loosening therplug where; the. devicedsdis-posedrin. a. posit-.- tion wherequarters. are close -andthere is j'iIlSllfficient space to swing a pipe wrench ori-other wrench,. but. suflicient space --to.--move an.-impact tool, suchas-Lahammere It is-tobe understood,

however,;: that any type: of wrench: engaging means may be employed on the plug-in lieu-of the lugs,

While threads have -been illustrated as: the meansafor securing the device to a drainepipe; it will.- be.. understood athat .-.this..- is exemplary only. Eor.-. example,- if. the draini device; were. -to:- be installed ina bell and. spigot fitting, the. portion which contains the threads-.would ,be smade cyline driz-zalaand v the device secured by? caulking; for coppersfittings-a sweatjoint. would be employed; for. lead waste: pipeJa: solder; wipe-. joint would: be employed; and if the installationrequired special threads, .a fiange etc theend. which is shown with; threads: I 5- is ,merely ..modifiedz-to; rendenit adaptable forconnection; tothe: particular:- drain plpea;

While the; device has; been illustrated. disposed 111:3 horizontal position in a vertical :drain: pipe, it? is. apparent: that. it. may be s-disposed in:- a vertical.- position, such as: atfithe; bottom oft-1a grease :trap or. thelike, the spout' 2 1 -.still-.remain-. ingfin-ta downwardly, ranging direction.

Many modifications will become apparent within, the ,purview 01.- the; invention. and the sp,ecific..-device.: disclosed is. therefore; to be: .rearded-zas. exemplary; only; and :the: invention notslimited; thereto, excepuas defined. byr the scope'ofhtheiappended claims; I

Having described the invention,,. what. .we clainnaslnewis 1. A clean out device for a drain pipe having a fitting with a threaded opening in one side thereof, a tubular body having one end provided with a male thread engageable in the threaded opening, and a female thread in the other end, an annular valve seat on the inside of the tubular body intermediate its ends facing the female threads, a plug having a male thread engageable with the last named femalethread and an annular valve surface-engageable with the valve seat,

the tubular body having a drain spout provided 'with a bleed port downstream from the valve seat, adapted to-be put into communication with the drain pipe Whenthe plug is moved outwardly away-from" the valve seat, the inner end of the plug having a cup-like cavity provided in its bottom. withtwo spaced bendable fingers, and a two pronged U-shaped agitator positioned with its base-rin said cavity and moveably attached to the plug by said fingers, the prongs projecting beyond. the end of the plug and .into. the tubular body; fonbrealzing; up: material .collected: therein when the plug. is. rotated relative :to said: body, the plug being=removable from the-tubularzbody upon further rotation thereof -to provide access to .thedrain pipe.forinsertingasnake or. thezlike; 2. A. device in acoordanceywith claims 11 in which the. inner surface: of said: tubularibody-has a. plurality, of circumferentiallyspaced' ribsmxetending longitudinally to resist rotation of.- mate-. rialcollected thereinzwheirthe-plugand-agitators are. rotatedtto openrthe. bleed rpor-t.

EMME'II' 'E."'LAI3LY. THEODORELTG'. 'LALIJYL'.

REFERENCES: 01mm I The following references are: of record -in* the file of this patent? UNITED sTATEs-PATENTs Number. Name Dates" 7 39,480... Davenport. .Sept, 22, 1903 926,552 Doyle June.29, .1909 984,082 Edgerton- Feb.--..'l'4;-, l911 1,792,345. Williams, M Feb-.-- 10;;1931 2,039,467. Walsh; -Maw 5; ;193 6 2,214,268; Brooks. Sept;.-:10;. 1940 FOREIGN F PATENTS Numben Country, Date...

2,784 GreatBritain F,eb..3.,. 191.4 12,212 GreatBritain 24., ,1909 69,197 Sweden .Apr,.-.8-,.1930. 3011998" Germany 7 Nov. 26,119.17. 

